European Car of the Year

1970: Fiat Finishes First

Feature Article from Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car

FIRST PLACE
Fiat 128
235 points
1969-1985
2.8 million built
Another new Fiat, another ECOTY first-place. The 128 was the first modern Fiat in ages. The 128 adopted a transverse-mounted front-drive engine, as was increasingly the norm in small cars; however, engine and gearbox were now able to live side-by-side, rather than on top of one another, thanks to unequal-length driveshafts. A choice of 55hp 1,116cc or 75hp 1,290cc rubber-belt-driven OHC fours was available, a first for the low-price field. Fiat's sad decline in America is well-known, but overseas was another story: Fiat sold gazillions of 128s--as Fiats in Italy and Colombia, as SEATs in Spain, and as Zastavas in Eastern Europe; the 128 is still built under license in Egypt. Seriously.

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SECOND PLACE
Autobianchi A112
96 points
1969-1986
1.2 million built
The A112, a vaguely Austin Mini-shaped supermini based on Fiat's upcoming 127 and replacing the unloved Primula, used the Fiat 850's 42hp 903cc OHV four and rode an 80-inch wheelbase. It was considerably more successful than its predecessor, which meant good things for tiny Fiat satellite Autobianchi. Still, the 127 launched two years later and (spoiler alert) managed to nab ECOTY's top award for 1972; was 1972 a slow year, or was the 127 just that good? See you in two months to find out!
THIRD PLACE
Renault 12
79 points
1969-1980
2.5 million built
Technically, the 12 was never going to win over the ECOTY jury: a solid rear axle and an engine derived from an early '60s design meant it was hardly cutting-edge. Yet Renault's first stab at a mainstream family saloon was well received; the press swooned over its low fuel consumption, roomy and comfortable interior, style and performance. In this country, even the sweet-talking Unser Brothers, Al Sr. and Donnie, couldn't make 12s move any faster out of U.S. showrooms. Dacia built them under license in Romania through 2006, and they were also assembled in South America and Australia.

This article originally appeared in the January, 2012 issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car.